Metal threaded handle



H. B, MORGAN METAL THREADED HANDLE Filed July 2, 1931 M mhgwm A'FTORNEYS Patented July 10, 1934 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Thisinvention is concerned with detachable handles andlparticularly with a screw type detachable handle such as is commonly used on mops, brushes and the like- It has been the custom for many years to make the,wooden handles for some kinds of mops and brushes with screw threads cut in the end thereof, so that they may be detachably screwed into a m This construction is very advantageous because it allows the head of the mop or brush to be replaced without replacing the handle and the handles and heads may be much'more conveniently packed for shipping when they are ,separate.

There are, however, several very marked disadvantages to this construction. In the first place, the handles are ordinarily made of wood and-wood is not well adapted to machining such as threading, and is likely to be broken or macerated' if considerable care is not taken in the cutting of the threads. Another difliculty is en countered in keeping the handle tightly screwed into the brush or mop when the device is in use, for, as the wood dries out or becomes wet it tends to shrink or expand or warp or crack, and all of these changeseventually tend to loosen the handle in the mop. A still further difllculty is experiencedby practically all users of this kind or breaking off of the threads on the handle or in theframe. Wood has little strength across the grain and as the threads are customarily cut the grain'runs transverse to the threads and all of 5 the strain on the threads is cross-grain to the slightly moved the shoulder is out of engagewood. In order to eliminate these difliculties, this apparently simple structure has recently become the subject of considerable study and efforts have 40 been repeatedly made to improve it. It has been proposed to cover the threads on the handle with a metal covering and this has been done and some of the difliculties have thereby been overcome, because the metal coveringcovers slight flaws in the wood caused by machining and because it strengthens the-threads.

The major dimculty, however,'is that the handle becomes, loose in the frame and that while the brush or mop is being used, the head suddenly 0 loosens on the handle or drops oil. 'This is a most aggravating occurrence. especiallyif it recurs frequently. and even the mops and brushes having metal covered handles are not free from it. Furthermore, the metal covered handles are subject to the diillculty that the covering itself of mops and brushes on account of the strippingmust be anchored to the handle and this usually involves a comparatively expensive and tedious process of nailing or tacking the covering in place. The heads of the nails or tacks are then' a source of trouble as if they are not properly pounded down they furnish projections which are likely to catch-on draperies, rugs, clothes and the like and cause damage. threaded hole in the frame of the mop or brush.

The object. of this invention is to provide a mop or brush handle of this screw type which will be free from the tendency to come loose on the handle, in which the threads on the handle are protected by a metal cover and yet which has no projections which are likely to catch on fabrics and'the' like, and which may be cheaply manufactured, without the use of tacks or nails. This invention specifically comprises a wooden mop handle with threads cut in one end and a metal cover screwed over the threads, which cover conforms closely to the shape of the handle and extends a short distance above the threads. The handle is formed above the threads with an outwardly tapering portion which may have either a straight taper or a convex taper, preferably the latter. A series of projections are v punched inwardly from the metal cover into the handle to .hold the cover in place .on the handle. The threads are preferably tapered so that they decrease in size toward the end of .the

handle.

In the usual type of handle there is. a definite shoulder above the threads, which contacts flatly with the frame and provides a stop for the handle when it is screwed in place. The diilicultywith this is that if the handle iseven very 9o ment' and the handle is loose and-free to unscrew.

By shaping the handle so that it has a straight or convextaper at the end of the threads, e 5 wedging action between the frame and the handleabove the threads is caused when the han dle is screwed in place which prevents the handle from unscrewing as it will do with a straight shoulder or a concave taper.

The projections which hold the metal cover in place may easily be made by a punch which ny s d awinain which Fig. 1 is a sectional elevation view;

Fig. 2 is an elevation showing the projections which hold the cover in place in the preferred form of device;

Fig. 3 isa sectional plan view taken on line 33 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is an elevation view showing the cover held in place by a pin.

Fig. 5 is a sectional elevation of the device in which the taper at the end of the threads is straight instead of convex.

As shown in the drawing, the handle is composed of an elongated cylindrical rod 10, of wood or similar material and has one end machined to form threads 11 and a tapered shoulder 12 of convex shape at the upper end of the threads.

A metal cover 13 of the same shape is slipped over the threads and shoulder and is preferably held in place by projections 14 struck inwardly from the cover 13. These projections have the form of small pointed tongues and extend in-. wardly at an angle and are pointed in the direction in which the cover would unscrew off of' the handle thus locking the cover against such movement.

The frame 15 of the brush or whatever other implement is to be used with this handle has an opening 16 therein to receive the end of the handle and this opening may be lined with metal sheet 17 if desired. When the handle is screwed down into the frame the tapered shoulder 12 wedges into the opening and securely locks the handle against any wobbling or rotating. Thus the handle is firmly secured to the brush until such a time as it is purposely detached by forcibly twisting the handle in the frame.

In Fig. 3 a cross section of the handle is shown which clearly illustrates the locking action of the inwardly projecting lugs in holding the cover in place upon the handle.

A slight modification of the manner of securingthe cover placed upon the handle is shown in Fig. 4 in which the cover is secured on the handle by a pin 18 passing through theupper end of the cover and into the handle.

Another modification of the structure of this invention is shown in Fig. 5 in which there is formed at'the upper end of the threads a straight taper 20 instead of the convex taper 12.

I claim: p

A handle. having a threaded end portion of reduced diameter, and a metal cover secured on the end of the handle, said cover having a threaded outer end portion conforming to the reduced end of the handle and a smooth inner end por- .tion tapering outwardly from the threaded portion, the said inner end portion serving to wedge the handle in the socket into whch it is screwed.

HITE BOWMAN MORGAN. 

